News
Another Hazing Death Defendant Is Sentenced
< < Back to another-hazing-death-defendant-is-sentencedA young man held responsible for conditions that led to the death of a student is going to jail for 31 days.
Elijah Robert Wahib, 22, is one of nine young men facing charges related to Collin Wiant’s death on November 12, 2018.
Wiant died at 45 Mill Street in Athens, a house multiple members of the Sigma Pi Fraternity lived in and used for fraternity activities. A toxicology report shows he died of asphyxiation caused by nitrous oxide ingestion.
Wahib chose to plead guilty to five charges including, two felony obstructing justice charges, one felony permitting drug use charge and one charge of hazing – a misdemeanor.
Along with the jail sentence, Wahib must complete the Athens County Empowerment (A.C.E.) rehabilitation program. Three other defendants were sentenced in February.
According to a press release, Athens County Prosecutor Keller Blackburn says he will continue to work with the Wiant family to get hazing upgraded to a felony charge as way to stop hazing altogether, “this case shows members inflicting the same or worse on their next victim. It is my hope, along with the Wiants, to stop this vicious cycle.”
Wahib attended his court date before Athens County Common Pleas Judge Patrick Lang via video.